I am baffled by the argument that a 5-cent fee on grocery bags would adversely affect senior citizens or lower-income folks. A reusable bag that will provide years of service hauling groceries from the supermarket to one’s home can be purchased for less than a dollar, and it is my understanding that there would likely be a free distribution of reusable bags as a part of this forward-thinking proposal.

I am currently living in a country in which fugitive plastic bags have taken over every stretch of land, both city and country. It is incredibly depressing. And it is extremely easy to fix. I hope Denver adopts the proposed bag fee and then starts working on a complete elimination of all bags at the supermarket. Using reusable bags is a simple habit to adopt, is extremely affordable for all, and will make Denver an even greater city than it already is.

John Beauparlant, Nor Hachn, Armenia

This letter was published in the Oct. 11 edition.

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Denver Mayor Michael Hancock sounds like the type of person who goes to the supermarket, buys two or three things, and asks for a double bag and help out to his car. Plastic bags destroy the environment. Politicians like Hancock don’t care, because supermarket chains give him a lot of money.

Tom Carberry, Denver

This letter was published online only.

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The Denver City Council is considering instituting a 5-cent charge on the use of disposable grocery bags. (RJ Sangosti, Denver Post file)

My family, and everyone with whom I have discussed this, uses grocery bags for trash disposal or other reasonable uses. The culture of using cloth bags for groceries as much as possible is growing (without the government’s help), but sometimes the plastic bags are most sensible (e.g., keeping meat from leaking on your veggies).

The city’s Solid Waste Management Division advises citizens to always bag their trash. Does Councilwoman Debbie Ortega just want us to buy trash bags while at the grocery store to comply with the city’s reasonable request?

Cathy Wanstrath, Denver

This letter was published in the Aug. 15 edition.

Modern societies have a duty to control pollution and keep our environment safe. Plastic bags destroy the environment and kill millions of animals a year. Just as society doesn’t allow people to relieve themselves on the street, society shouldn’t allow people to harm others by using plastic bags. Responsible retailers such as Natural Grocers and Whole Foods voluntarily eliminated plastic bags years ago. In fact, Natural Grocers has eliminated all bags and their business has increased.

Tom Carberry, Denver

This letter was published in the Aug. 15 edition.

While walking around the block, you will often encounter a certain beast. These invasive species are not native to Colorado, but were recently introduced and have become as ubiquitous as prairie dogs. These creatures bear the scientific name bagium dispsicus, but are more commonly known as discarded bags.

At some point, people believed that these items had become so fundamentally incorporated in our daily lives that they could not be expelled, but now it is becoming clear that a simple fee can dramatically reduce their numbers.

Across the U.S., cities are fighting these intrusive creatures with remarkably effective bans and fees. Colorado cities including Aspen, Breckenridge, Telluride and Boulder have adopted bag ordinances. In Boulder, the immediate impact of the 10-cent fee on single-use bags was astounding.

Let us take part in this progressive movement and forever stamp out these ugly pests.

Katie Li and Dustin Michels, Boulder

This letter was published in the Aug. 15 edition.

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Guidelines: The Post welcomes letters up to 150 words on topics of general interest. Letters must include full name, home address, day and evening phone numbers, and may be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.

To reach the Denver Post editorial page by phone: 303-954-1331

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